Choose the right path to scale: develop channels in‑house, acquire capabilities, or ally with established partners. Use ecosystem signals like attach rate and co‑sell velocity to guide investment.
Which partner type typically accelerates enterprise deals through implementation capacity?
Consumer retail distributors
Affiliate bloggers only
Campus clubs
Systems integrator (SI) partners
A key metric that indicates ecosystem monetization strength is ______.
printer usage
office occupancy
email unsubscribe rate
attach rate on partner‑influenced deals
Allying with hyperscaler marketplaces primarily helps by ______.
avoiding procurement
eliminating all discounts
tapping committed cloud budgets and co‑sell
replacing sales teams entirely
When should a company favor BUILD over BUY or ALLY?
When partners already dominate
When time‑to‑market is not a concern
When it’s a commodity add‑on
When the capability is core IP and differentiates long‑term
Which ecosystem motion most directly reduces customer acquisition cost (CAC)?
Partner‑led referrals and sourced pipeline
Extra procurement steps
Longer legal reviews
Adding internal approval layers
BUY is preferable to ALLY when ______.
the target has no product‑market fit
speed and control outweigh partnership complexity
regulation prohibits consolidation
capital is scarce and integration risk is high
A mature ecosystem organization usually includes ______.
only a PR team
a facilities crew
HR alone
partner marketing, partner ops, and co‑sell enablement
Which incentive best increases partner focus on your product?
Random swag only
Uncapped spiffs for any activity
Meaningful margin plus MDF tied to outcomes
Untracked coupons
A risk of over‑relying on a single strategic ally is ______.
guaranteed exclusivity in all regions
automatic price inflation
lower customer NPS by default
channel conflict and concentration exposure
A BUY decision should include diligence on ______.
integration complexity and cultural fit
logo color preferences
office snacks
window orientations
Starter
You understand partner basics—clarify roles and incentives.
Solid
Good grasp—optimize attach rate, co‑sell hygiene, and MDF ROI.
Expert!
Ecosystem pro—balance build/buy/ally with risk controls and scale.
